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Sterling Marlin has finally broken his silence about one of the darkest days in NASCAR history — the tragic death of Dale Earnhardt.

For more than two decades, Marlin has carried the weight of that moment, the crash at Daytona in 2001 that claimed the life of “The Intimidator,” one of the most legendary drivers to ever grace the track.

Now, in a rare and emotional interview, the man once vilified by fans for his role in that race has spoken from the heart — and his words have left fans around the world in tears.

That fateful February day is burned into the memory of every NASCAR fan.

It was the final lap of the Daytona 500, and Dale Earnhardt was doing what he did best — racing hard, protecting his team, and pushing for victory.

Sterling Marlin’s car came up behind Earnhardt’s black No. 3 Chevrolet as they battled for position.

In an instant, contact was made.

Earnhardt’s car veered sharply into the wall at over 150 miles per hour, a crash so sudden and violent that silence fell over the crowd.

Moments later, the unthinkable became reality.

Dale Earnhardt was gone.

In the weeks and months that followed, grief turned into anger.

And much of that anger was directed at Sterling Marlin.

Though the crash had been ruled a racing incident, fans wanted someone to blame.

Marlin, who had always been known as a kind-hearted, quiet competitor, suddenly found himself the target of hate mail, death threats, and relentless accusations.

He stopped giving interviews.

He stopped reading the news.

He even avoided watching replays of that race.

For years, he chose silence over defending himself.

But now, more than two decades later, the veteran driver has finally opened up — not to clear his name, but to share the truth about what that day did to him.

“I think about Dale every day,” Marlin said softly.

“There’s not a race that goes by where I don’t see that moment again. People can say what they want — I know in my heart I didn’t do anything intentional. But it doesn’t make it easier.”

He paused for a long time before continuing.

“When it happened, I didn’t even know how bad it was. I thought maybe he’d just got shaken up. Then they told me, and I couldn’t believe it. I just sat there. I didn’t say a word.”

Marlin described the days after the crash as some of the loneliest of his life.

“People who used to wave at me wouldn’t even look at me anymore,” he recalled. “I’d go to a restaurant and folks would whisper. I lost sleep. I lost friends. And for a while, I lost the love for racing.”

Yet even through the pain, Marlin never spoke ill of Earnhardt or his fans.

In fact, his admiration for the seven-time champion only deepened.

“Dale was the best,” Marlin said. “He raced hard, and he made you race hard. He was tough, but he respected you if you gave it your all. That’s the kind of man he was.”

Over the years, several NASCAR veterans — including Dale Earnhardt Jr. — publicly defended Marlin, insisting that his father’s death was a tragic accident, not anyone’s fault.

That support, Marlin says, helped him heal.

“When Junior came to me and said, ‘Dad wouldn’t want you to carry this,’ that meant the world,” Marlin said, his voice breaking slightly. “That took a lot of weight off my shoulders.”

Even so, he admits that the pain never fully goes away.

“There’s no getting over something like that,” he said quietly. “You just learn to live with it. Every time I see that No. 3, I say a little prayer.”

In recent years, Marlin has battled his own health struggles, including Parkinsonism, a condition that affects movement and speech.

But despite the challenges, he still attends races, meets with fans, and cherishes the friendships that racing gave him.

“Racing was my life,” he said. “It gave me everything — good and bad. And if I could go back, I’d still do it all again. But I’d give anything to change what happened that day.”

Fans who heard his interview were deeply moved, with many taking to social media to express support and forgiveness.

One fan wrote, “Hearing Sterling speak with so much pain and honesty after all these years broke my heart. He never deserved the hate.”

Another commented, “This just proves how much Dale and Sterling both loved the sport. It was a tragic moment, but it wasn’t anyone’s fault.”

As the years have passed, time has softened the bitterness surrounding that day.

And now, hearing Sterling Marlin speak so candidly has reminded everyone that behind the helmets and speed are real people — men who risk everything for the love of the race.

At 67, Sterling Marlin has finally found peace with a moment that changed his life forever.

And in doing so, he’s given NASCAR fans something powerful — not just closure, but a glimpse of the humanity that defines true champions.